The invention relates to an incendiary composition for a fin-stabilized kinetic energy projectile, which can be installed in the tail region of the projectile and, upon impact with the target, penetrates the target as a separate unit behind the penetrator of the kinetic energy projectile.
Fin-stabilized kinetic energy projectiles with incendiary compositions arranged in the tail region of the projectile are described, for example, in German Patent Applications DE 199 48 708.1 and DE 199 48 710.3. With kinetic energy projectiles of this type, the tracer set normally used is replaced with the incendiary composition to achieve that the kinetic energy projectile developing a considerable incendiary effect when hitting semi-hard targets (e.g., armored personnel carriers with relatively thin armor). Without such an incendiary composition, the penetrator of the kinetic energy projectile would simply fly through the semi-hard target, essentially without causing any destruction, and would create a hole matching the maximum projectile diameter in the armor.
To be sure, reference DE 199 48 710.3 already discloses that the incendiary composition arranged in the tail section of the kinetic energy projectile can be selected such that it will be initiated by the shock wave generated during the impact with a corresponding target. However, this reference does not offer further details concerning the concrete design of such an incendiary composition.
Incendiary compositions consisting of a metal sponge and an organic binder are known from reference DE-AS 29 01 517, wherein it is preferable if a metal sponge consisting of zirconium or hafnium and a binder of poly tetrafluoroethylene are used. Experiments conducted by the applicant have shown that these known incendiary compositions cannot be initiated optimally by shock waves, in particular if only relatively small amounts of the respective incendiary composition are used, as is the case with incendiary compositions for kinetic energy projectiles that replace the tracer sets.